What is Pride?
June is Pride Month, dedicated to celebrating LGBTQ+ communities all around the world. Carers First hope that this past month has been an enjoyable time for our LGBTQ+ carers and that they have felt welcomed and celebrated. Carers First is proud to be a charity that supports Pride Month, and all members of the community.
LGBTQ+ and caring
Caring for someone you know is fulfilling and can bring you and your cared for a lot of joy, but caring can also add pressure and stress to your day-to-day life. Caring for someone can mean that you push aside your own feelings and needs to prioritise the needs of the person you are looking after. This can be made even more difficult as a member of the LGBTQ+ community as you face challenges with your own identity, the relationships in your life, or worrying about how other people may see you.
Carers First is here to support you, no matter who you love, we are here to offer you advice, information and organise events where you feel welcome and supported. We are here to help you manage any difficult emotions you may face in your caring role, and this includes when your emotions are affecting your ability to care for yourself, and those you care for. All of our support groups are open to all carers, we ensure a safe and friendly environment where you can be yourself and speak to other carers about how you are feeling or any challenges you are facing.
Carers from all circumstances and backgrounds are entitled to equal support and we aim to ensure this is what you experience from Carers First. Please let us know if you are in need of additional support by emailing hello@carersfirst.or.uk or calling our helpline on 0300 303 1555.
Being LGBTQ+ as a young person
We recognise that being a young carer in the LGBTQ+ community can be a confusing and overwhelming experience, which is why all our young and young adult carer activities are open to everyone. You can enquire about young carer events by calling or emailing us, we also send a monthly young carers eNews of upcoming events near you.
Medway young carers are able to join our specific LGBTQ+ support group to meet other carers in the community and build a supportive group of friends who know what you are going through. We hope to expand and create more groups like this across our areas in the future.
Support available to you:
Access LGBTQ+ support for young people
See what mental health support is available
Online Help and Advice
Visit our online support section where we have provided advice and guidance on a range of relevant topics to help you in your caring role.